Road and rail vehicle



Dec. 5, 1933. v E, H, SERRANO 1,938,049

ROAD AND RAIL VEHICLE Filed June 24, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l Dec` 5, 1933.E. H. SERRANO A 1,938,049

ROAD AND RAIL .VEHICLE i Filed June 24, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ndmmn@ VUUv Edf/fami@ aferra/za ma U.

Dec. 5, 1933.

E. H. SERRANO ROAD AND RAIL VEHICLE Filed June 24, 1952 -3 Sheets-Sheet5 gmc/YIM I Patented' Dec. s, 1933 l 1,938,049

ROAD AND RAIL VEHICLE r Edmundo l1. Serrano, Mexico,` Mexico, assignorto Luella J. Serrano, St. Louis, Mo.

Application June 24,'1932, Serial No. 619,158, and in Mexico February11, 1932 7 Claims. (Cl. 10S-215) This invention relates to certain newand use- Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a freight fulimprovements in road and rail vehicles. truck or vehicle equipped withroad and rail The primary object of the invention is to prowheels;

vide a combined road and rail vehicle-in which- Figure 4 is a verticallongitudinal sectional 5 the trucks of the vehicle carry double sets ofview showing a worm, worm wheel and screw 6o wheels for road or railwaytrack travel that may adjustment or shifting means for the wheel supbeselectively moved into service position. porting spring; y

A further object of the invention is to provide Figure 5 is a top planview showing the worm a combined road and rail vehicle operating in aand worm wheel drive;

manner to reduce the cost of transportation of Figure 6 is a verticallongitudinal sectional view 65 freight and passengers, the vehicleto beopershowing another form of operating or shifting ated over roads orstreets for picking up freight means for the spring; and passengers andthen operating on a railroad Figure 7 is a side elevational view of apassentrack with greater speed and economy as well as ger form ofvehicle equipped with the road and safety. track rail wheels; 70

A still further object of the invention is to pro- Figure 8 is a sideelevational View of a vehicle vide a vehicle of the foregoing characterwherein truck shifting means for the ywheel supporting a spring membercarried by each truck of the spring operated by pneumatic devicesincludin vehicle supports road and rail track' wheels with a fluidoperated piston and rod;

the spring member pivotally supported upon the Figure 9`is a Verticallongitudinal sectional view 75 vehicle truck and shifted by mechanicalor pneu- 1, of a truck in which chain and grab hooks for maticallyoperated means for placing either the shifting the wheel carryingsprings are pneumatroad, such as rubber tired wheels, or track railically operated; and wheels in service position. Figure 10diagrammatically illustrates an elec- 25 A still further object of theinvention is to protric contact or brush member to be moved into 80 videan electrical contact member or brush arengagement with a track rail toindicate the ranged forwardly of the railway track wheels to positioningof the railway track wheels with re-l be lowered by pneumaticdevices-into electrical speci; to the rail. 1

contact with the track rail to indicate to the driver As Ashown inFigure 3, the vehicle 15 is deof the vehicle through the medium ofilluminating. signed forl the transportation of freight or the 85means'on the instrument board that the track like, being equipped withhinged side'doors 16, wheels are aligned with the track rails so thatthe with the front and rear trucks thereof each protrack wheels may belowered with safety into servvided with a pair of cross-axlesrespectively carf ice position. p rying upon opposite ends ground orroad wheels With the above and other objects in view that 17 of therubber tired character, and railway 90 will become apparent as thenature of the inventrack wheels 18, the road wheels 17 in Figure 3 tionis better understood, the same consists in the being illustrated as inservice position with the novel form, combination and arrangement ofrailway track wheels 18 elevated into inoperative parts hereinafter morefully described, shown in positions. f

v 40 the accompanying drawings and claimed. As shown in Figure l, thevehicle includes side 95 I In the drawings:- chassis bars 19 supportinga, truck upon which Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view aleaf spring 20 is pivotally mounted intermeof a truck of a combined roadand rail vehicle diate its ends as at 21. Shackles or bearings 22showing a lsuspension spring pivotally mounted are carried by theopposite endsl of the leaf intermediate its ends andv carrying atopposite lspring 20 and respectively support cross axles 23 100 endsroad and track rail wheels respectively with and 24, road wheels 25 o'fthe rubber tiredtype rack and pinion operating mechanism for shift-.,being mounted upon the ends of the axle 23 Whilev ing the spring on itspivot mounting for placing railway track wheels 26 are mounted upon theeither the 4road or track railwheels in service ends-of the'cross-axle24. position; Aframe lever 27 is pivotally mounted inter- 10r-L Figure 2is a vertical longitudinal sectional view mediate its ends as at 28 uponthe vehicle truck of a vehicle truck showing another form of opdirectlyabove the spring pivot 21, the upper side erating mechanism for shiftingthe spring mountof the frame lever 27 being of arcuate formation, ingfor thev wheels in the form of link and toggle centered .on the pivot 28and provided with worm mechanism; teeth 29.. A mechanically,pneumatically or o aoA otherwise operated shaft` 30 is journalledlongitudinally of the chassis bar 19 and is provided with a worm 31 inmeshing engagement with the worm teeth 2,9 upon the frame lever 27. Theopposite ends of the'frame lever 27 are directed downwardly and each endcarries a hook 32 normally disposed below an adjacent axle 23 or 24.Thevreference character 33 designates a railway track rail.

Assuming that the vehicle 15 is to be operated on the road bed 33a asshown in Figure 3, the shaft 30 is rotated for imparting pivotalmovement to the frame lever 27 to the worm and gear connection 31-29 forraising the hooked end 32 of the frame lever adjacent the axle 24, theframe lever hook 32 being engaged with the axle 24 to elevate the sameand the track rail wheels 26 carried thereby, this action impartingpivotal movement to the spring 20 to cause the same to assume an angularposition relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle 15 so that theroad wheels 25 are brought into service position. Upog/ rotation of theshaft 30 in the opposite dire tion, the frame lever 27 is moved upon itspivot 29, permitting the rail wheels 26 to be lowered into serviceposition with respect to the track rails 33 while the road wheels 25 areelevated by means of the hook 32 on the frame lever engaged withltheaxle 23.

Another form of operating means for shifting the springs as well asraising or lowering the road or track rail wheels is illustrated inFigure 2, the chassis bar 19 carrying bearing blocks 34 in which a shaft35 is swivelled, the intermediate portion of the shaft 35 carrying ascrew portion 36 threaded through a screw block 37 slidable in guides37a carried by the chassis bar 19. A link chain 38 is attached to eachend of the screw block 37 with the free ends thereof directed downwardlythrough` guide channels 39 having theirlower flared ends 40 with theouter end of each link chain carrying a pair of grapple hooks 41disposed above an adjacent cross-axle 23 or 24 to be selectively engagedtherewith for operation of the screw 36 upon the shaft 35 for raising orlowering either pair of wheels. The

. grapple hooks 4l are disposed above their associated axle and whenoperated, the flared lower ends 40 of the guide channels 39 cause thegrapn ple hooks to move toward each other into grapm pling engagementwith the associated axle as will at once be obvious from 'an inspectionof Figure 2. The axles 23 and 24 are supported upon the spring 20 as at21 and described more the lower end of the screw 45carrying a link 46loosely engaged with an associated axle 23 or 24. The axles 23 and 24are supported at the outer ends of the spring 20 that is pivotedintermediate its ends as at 21 and upon rotation of the shaft 42 in thedirection desired, screws 45 are raised or lowered for shifting the roadwheel 25 or track rail wheel 26 into service position, the latter inFigure 4 being illustrated as supported or riding upon the track rail33.

The mechanism for shifting the road and track rail wheels in the form ofthe invention illustrated in Figure 6, is the same as shown in Figures 4and 5 except that the lower ends of the screws 45 have a pin and slotconnection 47 with a lever 48 that is pivotally mounted as at 49 uponthe vehicle truck. Each end of the lever 48 carries a pivoted hook 50normally disposed below the associated axle 23 or 24 so thatuponoperation of the worm gear mechanism, the lever 48 is moved upon itspivot 49 to cause either of the hooks 50 to raise an adjacent axle orpermit lowering movement of the other axle, both of said axles beingrespectively supported at the outer ends of the spring 20 that ispivotally supported intermediate its ends as at 21.

The form of road and track rail wheel` support shown in Figure 8 issimilar to the construction of the invention'illustrated in Figure 1including a spring 20 pivotally supported intermediate its ends .as at21 upon the vehicle truck while the frame lever 27a is pivotallysupported on the truck as at 28a above the spring pivot 2l. A hook 32ais formed at each end of the frame lever 27a and is associated with anadjacent axle member 23a and 24a. A pump cylinder 5l is verticallysupported upon the chassis bar 19 adjacent one end of the frame lever27a, the cylinder 51 housing a pump piston that includes a piston rod 52projecting outwardly of the cylinder and having a pivotal connection 53with the frame lever 27a adjacent one end thereof. Fluid pressure from asuitable source is delivered by means of the pipes 54 and 55 to oppositeends of the cylinder 5l for reciprocating the piston therein toweiectpivotal movement of the frame lever 27a.-

The wheel shifting mechanism shown in Figure 9 is similar to the form ofinvention illustrated in Figure 2, the leaf spring 20 being supportedintermediate its ends as at 21 upon the truck of the vehicle andcarrying at each of its ends the axle members 231) and 24h. The linkchains 38a carry grapple hooks 41a to be engaged with the axle members23h and 24h, the other ends of the link chains 38a being attached to theopposite ends of a piston rod 56 projecting from the pump cylinder 57that houses a piston which is reciprocated in the pump cylinder by meansof fluid line pipes 58 and 59 respectively entering opposite ends of thecylinder.

When it is desired to bring the railway track wheels into serviceposition and to determine the exact relationship between the rail wheelsand the rails before lowering movement of the wheels the detector deviceillustrated in Figure 125 10 is brought into play. The lamp bulb 60 uponthe instrument board 61A of the vehicle having wire connections withagsource of potential 62 is grounded as at 63, the Wires 64 extending tofront wheel contact while. the wires 65 extend 'to 139 rear wheelcontact. A contact brush 66 is carried by a piston rod 67 and working ina cylinder;

68 that is in communication with a source of fluid supply by means of apipe line 69, the contact brush 66 being first lowered and when engaged135 with a rail 33, the circuit is completed for the il-a lumination ofthe lamps 60 to indicate to the operator of the vehicle that the railwaytrack wheels 26 are directly located above the track rails 33 so thatthey may be lowered into service 14d position.

From the above detailed description of the im vention, it isbelievedthat the construction and operation thereof will at once beapparent, and while there is herein shown and described the 145preferred embodiments of the invention, it is nevertheless to beunderstood that minor changes may be made therein without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

A vehicle for hauling freight is shown in Figure 15o V- hooks on theouter ends of the chains for engage- 3 as vdescribedwliile Figure 'lshows apassenger vehiclela having a side door entrance 16a, the

same being equipped with road and track raill wheels. Y l l `Iclaimz- 1. In a combined road and rail vehicle, two sets of road andtrack rail wheels, axles supporting the wheels, a mounting spring forthe wheels pivotally supported between its ends with the road wheels atone end of the spring and the track rail .wheels at ,the other end ofthe spring, and means for raising and lowering either set of wheels intoand out of' service position including means associated vwith each axleand operating 'in a manner whereby the means of one axle is engagedtherewith for lifting the same while the means of the other axle isshifted to inoperative position relative to its axle .to permit loweringmovement of the axle and-wheels carried thereby.

2. In a combined road and rail vehicle, two

-sets of road and rail track wheels, axles Asup'4 porting the wheels, amounting spring for the wheels pivotally supported between its ends withlthe road wheels at one end of the spring' and the track-rail wheels atthepther end of the spring, and means for `raising and lowering eitherset of Wheels into and out of service position, including meansassociated with eachl axle and operating in a. manner whereby the meansofjqone axle is rail wheels at the other endof the spring, and

means for raising and' lowering either set of wheels into; andout ofservice position including a slide block, a chain attached to veach endof the block and grapple hooks on the outer ends of the chains' forengagement with an associated axle'. A v 4. In a combined road and railvehicle, two sets of road and rail Itrack Wheels,- axles supporting thewheels, a mounting spring for the wheels pivotally supported between itsends with theroad wheels at one end of the spring and the track railwheels at the other end of the spring, means for raising and loweringeither set of wheels into and out of service position engageable withthey wheel axles and including a slide block, a chain attached to each endof the block and grapple ment with an` associated axle.

5. yIn a combined road and rail vehicle, two sets of road and rail trackwheels, axles supporting the wheels, a mounting spring for the wheelspivotally supported between its ends with the road wheels at one end ofJthe spring and 'the track rail wheels at one other end of the spring,and means for raising and lowering either set of wheels into and out ofservice position associated with each axle andoperating in a mannerwhereby the means of one axle is engaged therewith for lifting the samewhile the means of the other. axle is disengaged fromits axle to permitlowering movement of the axle 'and wheels carried thereby and includinga slide block, a chain attached to, each end of the block and grapplehooks on the outerx ends of the chains for engagement with an associatedaxle. v

6. In a combined road andrail vehicle, two sets of road and rail trackwheels, axles supporting the wheels, a mounting spring forthe wheelspivotally supported between its ends with the road wheels at one end ofthe spring and the track rail Wheels at the other end of the spring,means for raising and lowering either set of wheels into and out ofservice "position associated with each axle and operating in a mannerwhereby the means of one axle -is engaged therewith for lifting the samewhile the means of the other axle is disengaged from its axle to permitlowering movement of the axle and wheels carried thereby and includingscrewmembers and Worm gear drives therefor and a link member carried byeach screw member loosely engagedwith an associated axle.

7. In a combined road and rail vehicle, two

I sets of road and railtrack wheels, axles supporting the wheels, amounting spring for the wheels pivotally supported between its ends withthe road wheels at one end of the spring and the track rail wheels atthe other end of the-spring, means for raising and lowering either setof wheels into and out of service position associated with each axle andoperating in a manner whereby the means of one axle is engaged therewithfor lifta hook at each end thereof for lifting engagement with an axleanda hydraulic pump having a piston rod connection with the frameleverfor operation thereof. v

j EDMUNDO H. SERRANO.

